Medical students and the response to COVID-19: Educational preparedness and psychological impact of their involvement in communicating with patients’ relatives

OBJECTIVES: The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged without precedent both healthcare and educational systems worldwide. How medical students could and should be engaged in the response remains unclear. Medical students were asked to help with communicating with patients’ relatives in our institution. Authors aimed: to (i) present the rapid implementation and assessment of a teaching/e-teaching lesson in the COVID-19 era; (ii) report an early evaluation of preparedness, mental health and well-being of students involved. METHODS: The lesson was elaborated at lockdown in France. The clinical guidance consisted of a voluntary lesson entitled: “How to communicate with relatives of hospitalized COVID-19 patients?”. Students received an anonymous online questionnaire after two weeks. RESULTS: Sixty-six medical students were trained (32% face-to-face). The response rate was 64%. Most students informed relatives about the routine care of the patient (95%). Concerning the lesson, students assured to have had one (95%), considered it relevant (86%), and had used the educational content (81%). 33% were charged with unexpected missions (only 36% felt prepared). Most of them did not report any psychological impact, but some reported anxiety or sleep disorders with no difference between face-to-face/distance training. CONCLUSIONS: This pandemic may last. Communication ability is a key competence in medical curriculum and is more than ever essential. Distance learning technologies may provide a useful and accepted tool for medical students. We report on a rapid feedback on what can be expected or not from students in terms of mission and short-term psychological consequences.